Method for optimizing an internal combustion engine

Abstract

Internal combustion engine optimization in which individual adjustment processes to be carried out to achieve optimal cooperation between the sensors, actuators, control device and internal combustion engine are started and carried out on the basis of the quality achieved for each of the individual adjustment processes in relation to one another, the ambient conditions of the internal combustion engine and the system states of the internal combustion engine in connection with a control program.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for calibrating an internal combustion engine having sensors, actuators and a control device, wherein cooperation between the internal combustion engine, the sensors, the actuators, and the control device is described by functional relationships mapped in the control device, the method comprising:
 carrying out individual adjustment processes to achieve cooperation between the sensors, the actuators, the control device, and the internal combustion engine by:
 forming a reference adjacency matrix that describes dependencies that exist for adjustment processes to be carried out, wherein the reference adjacency matrix is formed from sub matrices that describe the dependencies that exist for the adjustment processes to be carried out; 
 specifying a sequence by which forming an updated adjacency matrix by updating the reference adjacency matrix is carried out; 
 measuring values corresponding to one or more of a quality level of the individual adjustment processes, an operating point of the internal combustion engine, and environmental conditions; 
 forming an updated adjacency matrix by updating the reference adjacency matrix with the measured values; and 
 varying, based on a comparison between the reference adjacency matrix and the updated adjacency matrix, at least one of:
 an operating point dependent factor of the internal combustion engine until the difference between a signal received from a sensor and a reference signal is within a particular range, 
 operating parameters of the internal combustion engine in order to adjust a diagnostic function, and 
 regulation parameters of the internal combustion engine in order to adjust a function for a control and/or regulation, 
 
 
 wherein the individual ones of the adjustment processes are started and carried out through the use of a control program, 
 wherein the individual ones of the adjustment processes are started and carried out based on: 
 a) quality levels achieved for each of the individual adjustment processes, 
 b) environmental conditions, and 
 c) an operating point of the internal combustion engine, and 
 wherein the dependencies that exist for the adjustment processes to be carried out include a dependency of starting and carrying out a further adjustment process when a first adjustment process has achieved a threshold quality value. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the individual ones of the adjustment processes are further carried out based on:
 d) functional relationships between the adjustment processes. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the ambient conditions include at least one of ambient air pressure, ambient temperature or intake air temperature. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the ambient conditions include at least one of ambient air pressure, ambient temperature or intake air temperature. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the system state of the internal combustion engine is described by operating point parameters of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the system state of the internal combustion engine is described by operating point parameters of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the system state of the internal combustion engine is described by operating point parameters of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the system state of the internal combustion engine is described by operating point parameters of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the operating point parameters include at least one of a rotational speed or a load of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the operating point parameters include at least one of a rotational speed or a load of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the sub matrices that describe the dependencies that exist for the adjustment processes to be carried out include:
 a first adjacency sub matrix that relates the level of quality of each of the adjustment processes to a decision of whether or not to carry out an individual one of the adjustment processes, 
 a second adjacency sub matrix that relates the system state of the internal combustion engine to a decision of whether or not to carry out an individual one of the adjustment processes, and 
 a third adjacency sub matrix that relates the ambient conditions to a decision of whether or not to carry out an individual one of the adjustment processes. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the forming an updated adjacency matrix by updating the reference adjacency matrix includes:
 updating the first adjacency sub matrix based on changes during one or more ongoing individual ones of the adjustment processes, 
 updating the second adjacency sub matrix based on changes in values relating to the system state of the internal combustion engine, and 
 updating the third adjacency sub matrix based on changes in values relating to the ambient conditions. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising specifying a sequence in which the adjustment processes are to be carried out. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment processes include one or more of determining a value for a proportion of fresh air flowing to the internal combustion engine, regulating the proportion of fresh air flowing to the internal combustion engine, and determining an effectiveness of a catalytic converter. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrying out individual ones of the adjustment processes on the basis of a comparison between the reference adjacency matrix and the updated adjacency matrix to achieve cooperation between the sensors, the actuators, and the control device includes one or more of:
 altering a proportion of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine by one or more fuel injectors, 
 changing a combustion air to fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine, and 
 altering a proportion of fresh air flowing to the internal combustion engine by a throttle member. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the varying, based on a comparison between the reference adjacency matrix and the updated adjacency matrix, at least one of an operating point dependent factor of the internal combustion engine until the difference between a signal received from a sensor and a reference signal is within a particular range, operating parameters of the internal combustion engine in order to adjust a diagnostic function, and regulation parameters in order to adjust a function for a control and/or regulation comprises adjusting a proportion of fresh air flowing to the internal combustion engine and adjusting a proportion of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the signal received from a sensor is a signal received from one of the group consisting of: a crankshaft rotational speed sensor, a hot film mass air flow meter, a residual oxygen sensor disposed upstream of a catalytic converter, a residual oxygen sensor disposed downstream of the catalytic converter, an ambient temperature sensor, and am ambient pressure sensor. 
     
     
       18. A method for calibrating an internal combustion engine having sensors, actuators and a control device, wherein cooperation between the internal combustion engine, the sensors, the actuators, and the control device is described by functional relationships mapped in the control device, the method comprising:
 carrying out individual adjustment processes to achieve cooperation between the sensors, the actuators, the control device, and the internal combustion engine by:
 forming a reference adjacency matrix that describes dependencies that exist for adjustment processes to be carried out, wherein the reference adjacency matrix is formed from sub matrices that describe the dependencies that exist for the adjustment processes to be carried out; 
 specifying a sequence by which forming an updated adjacency matrix by updating the reference adjacency matrix is carried out; 
 measuring values corresponding to one or more of a quality level of the individual adjustment processes, an operating point of the internal combustion engine, and environmental conditions; 
 forming an updated adjacency matrix by updating the reference adjacency matrix with the measured values; and 
 varying, based on a comparison between the reference adjacency matrix and the updated adjacency matrix, an operating point dependent factor of the internal combustion engine until the difference between a signal received from a sensor and a reference signal is within a particular range, 
 
 wherein the individual ones of the adjustment processes are started and carried out through the use of a control program, 
 wherein the individual ones of the adjustment processes are started and carried out based on: 
 a) quality levels achieved for each of the individual adjustment processes, 
 b) environmental conditions, and 
 c) an operating point of the internal combustion engine, and 
 wherein the dependencies that exist for the adjustment processes to be carried out include a dependency of starting and carrying out a further adjustment process when a first adjustment process has achieved a threshold quality value.